MLAs facing threat to life: Kovai, Salem cadre

In their petition, the functionaries also said the MLAs also faced threat to their lives and sought protection for the people’s representatives. In Coimbatore, 52nd ward deputy secretary of the AIADMK in Coimbatore SMV Srinivasan in a complaint with the city police commissioner, alleged that all the MLAs attached to their party in Coimbatore district were missing. 

Of the 10 Assembly segments in the district, nine Assembly seats were represented by the AIADMK. The only other MLA is from the DMK. Of the nine AIADMK MLAs, Kavundampalayam representative V C Arukutty had pledged his support to O Panneerselvam. 

“Te other eight MLAs, including Thondamathur legislator and Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani, are not to be seen from early this week. We are worried about their safety. We want the police to trace the people’s representatives,” he added.  In Salem, AIADMK cadre claimed that they have been trying to meet the MLA of Salem South segment A B Sakthivel from Tuesday. He was not neither at his residence nor in MLA and party offices.  

“When we tried to take up this issue with Salem West MLA G Venkatachalam, we are shocked to learn that his whereabouts are also not known. We fear that their lives are in danger. Police should trace and bring them back safely,” said Subramaniam, party’s head in Salem Corporation. 

Meanwhile, Venkatachalam in an interview to a private television said that he and other MLAs were fine and that there was no threat to their lives. He alleged that some mischief mongers influenced by Panneerselvam were spreading rumours about the party MLAs. 

“We are functioning independently and moving about freely,” he added. Meanwhile, a few AIADMK cadre at Tharamangalam that falls under Salem West assembly segment burnt the effigy of their MLA Venkatachalam.

Due to the prevailing political turmoil, AIADMK functionaries of Ariyalur, who backed former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa, met in the district on Friday and resolved to urge her to support Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. The political and the Constitutional situations in the state turned uncertain, after O Panneerselvam’s allegations on the Marina a few days ago. In this scenario, supporters of Deepa, started moving towards the OPS camp and felt that the time is ripe for Deepa to work with Panneerselvam. To convince her to this end, the leaders have now planned to meet Deepa and insist her to support the Chief Minister.